Population growth rate in Iraq
Iraq: Population growth rate was 2.1% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
2.1%
Change on year
down 8.9%
World rank
49th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.2%
in 1993
All-time low
-1.4%
in 2006
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population growth rate in Iraq, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rate in Iraq is 2.1%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.9% on the previous year and down 49.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Iraq peaked at 6.2% in 1993 and was at its lowest, -1.4%, in 2006.
That places Iraq 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Population growth rate in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.0% | — |
| 1951 | 2.2% | +10.6% |
| 1952 | 2.5% | +14.1% |
| 1953 | 2.5% | -0.4% |
| 1954 | 2.5% | +0.6% |
| 1955 | 2.1% | -15.7% |
| 1956 | 2.2% | +5.3% |
| 1957 | 1.6% | -29.4% |
| 1958 | 1.7% | +4.0% |
| 1959 | 2.1% | +28.8% |
| 1960 | 2.2% | +5.3% |
| 1961 | 2.6% | +16.6% |
| 1962 | 3.4% | +29.7% |
| 1963 | 3.4% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 3.4% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 3.4% | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 3.4% | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 3.4% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 3.5% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 3.5% | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 3.4% | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 3.4% | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 3.4% | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 3.3% | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 3.3% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 3.3% | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 3.4% | +4.2% |
| 1978 | 3.3% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 3.1% | -7.3% |
| 1980 | 3.2% | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 2.8% | -12.3% |
| 1982 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 3.1% | +10.6% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.7% | -45.2% |
| 1986 | 3.2% | +87.1% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | -27.9% |
| 1988 | 2.3% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | +27.2% |
| 1990 | -0.5% | -115.9% |
| 1991 | 2.6% | -642.6% |
| 1992 | 3.3% | +30.6% |
| 1993 | 6.2% | +85.1% |
| 1994 | 3.4% | -44.8% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -10.2% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +13.7% |
| 2003 | 2.7% | -20.1% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +12.4% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | -3.3% |
| 2006 | -1.4% | -149.1% |
| 2007 | -0.1% | -90.1% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | -3015.5% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | -21.6% |
| 2010 | 3.2% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 3.8% | +19.1% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | +36.0% |
| 2013 | 4.3% | -18.4% |
| 2014 | 2.8% | -33.4% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | -17.5% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 2.2% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | -8.9% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 2.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6%, 3.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 2.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.6%, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +3015.5% | -0.1% | 4.1% |
| 1991 | +642.6% | -0.5% | 2.6% |
| 2006 | -149.1% | 2.9% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | -115.9% | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | +90.1% | -1.4% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | +87.1% | 1.7% | 3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.2% | 2.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.4% | 3.1% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 1.7% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | -0.5% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | -1.4% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.2% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 46 Sierra Leone 2.2% compare
- 47 Gabon 2.2% compare
- 48 Rwanda 2.2% compare
- 50 Nigeria 2.1% compare
- 51 Uzbekistan 2.0% compare
- 52 Sao Tome and Principe 2.0% compare
More population data for Iraq
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.65 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 74,515 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.07 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4379 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 231.84 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.99 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in Iraq?
- Population growth rate in Iraq was 2.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 6.2% in 1993.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.4% in 2006.
- How does Iraq rank for population growth rate?
- Iraq ranks 49th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.